Wet film holder for projection printing



R. P. LEWTT NLM HOLDER OR P-(OJECTION PKKHTNG Filed Aug; 26, 1G65 Patented Jut s, i935 1,987,067

UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE 1,987,061 WE1: FILM nomma Foa PROJECTION PRINTING loger P. Leavitt, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New `'York Application August 26, 1933, Serial No. 686,962

3 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) Thisinvention relates to photography and more member being hinged on the pintles 8 so that it particularly tol holders for photographic film can move to and from an operative position in adapted to support a iilm substantially in a plane which it will retain a film F in position on the for projection printing. frame 1. The frame 1, as best shown in Fig. 2, is

One object of my invention is to provide a provided withacentral aperture 10 and the frame 5 holder which will receive and hold a iilm which 9 has a similar aperture 11, these two apertures has been treated with the various fluid' treatbeing ln registration when the frame 9 is in an ments for developing, xing, and washing and operative position. Around the edge of the frame which has not been dried. Another object of my 10 there are a plurality of pins l2, these pins being l0 invention is to provide a holder which will retain adapted to define the position of the outer edge E l0 a lm in a hat position by means of the extreme of a film F being positioned in the holder (Fig. 1). edges of the film and one which will not mar the lThe frame 9 is supported by the hinge pintle 8 delicate surfaces of a film when in either a wet at one end and is retained in an operative posior dry condition. Another object of my invention tion by means of a sliding latch member 13. This l5 is to provide a film holder especially adapted for member, asbest shown in Fig. 3, consists of a plate, l5 use in projection printing. Another object of my apertured at 14 to receive a pair of studs 15 carried invention is to provide a holder which will retain by the frame l. A spring 16 extending between a lm in position even though only light pressure a stud 17 on the latch 13 and between a stud 18 is placed upon the nlm in the holder. Another on the handle 2 normally holds the latch in the 20 object of my invention is to provide a nlm holding position shown in Fig. 3 in which the nose of the 2o means comprising two overlapping frames, one of latch member 19 will engage a notch 20 on the the frames being equipped with a smooth, roundframe 9. A push-button 21 is provided for slided, resilient nlm engaging member to lightly press ing this latch to release the frame member 9. the edges of a film dat on the other frame. Still The frame member 9 fits into an opening 22 in 26 another object of my invention is to provide a the frame member 1 and is adapted to lie sub- 25 holder which will support a sheet of iilm flat in stantially flush in this opening. There is but position for printing without the use of the usual little clearance between the inner edge 23 of the glass. Another object of my invention is to proframe member 9 and the bottom 24 of the openvide a holder consisting of two hinged frames ing22 into which the frame fits (see Fig.2). This 30 arranged so that they can be readily and rapidly forms a stop limiting the movement of frames 3o manipulated with one hand, and other objects 10 and 1l toward each other and consequently a will appear from the following specification, the stop limiting the pressure which can be applied novel features being particularly pointed out in upon the smooth soft rubber gasket 25 when the the claims at the end thereof. two frame members are latched together.

Coming now to the drawing wherein like ref- Frame 9 is provided with a film holding mem- 35 erence characters denote like parts throughout: ber which preferably consists of a rubber gasket Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a holder constructed 25. This preferably has a rounded surface for in accordance with and embodying a preferred contacting with the film F and is soft so that form of my invention. when it contacts with the sensitive emulsion Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 surface of a photographic film, even though this 40 0f F18. 1. surface should be still wet, it will not damage the Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 film. While I prefer to use a round rubber gasket, 0f Fig. 1. as shown in the drawing, it is obvious that any My holder consists broadly in a pair of hinged other smooth, soft, resilient material, such as soft frames having means for locating and holding a leather, will be suitable for this purpose. 45 film between the two registering openings of the The operation of the device is quite simple. frame. 'Ihe frame 9 may be unlatched by moving the As indicated in Fig. 1 the holder may consist of push-button 21 to move the latch member 13 a main frame 1 which is provided with a handle 2. against the action of the spring 16, thus releasing The side edges 3 and the end' edges 4 and 5 are the engaging latch members 19-20. The oper- 50 preferably made of a casting or die-casting having ator may then use the arm 27 to raise the frame ribs 6 to strengthen the material and having open- 9 and swing it about the hinge pintles 8. When ings 'I toreduce the weight of the part. the two frames are opened the main frame 1 The frame 1 carries a pair of hinge pintles 8 may be held in a substantially vertical position u which support a second frame member 9, this and a iilmFmay be dropped into place by bringing the edges E of the film into engagement with two or more of the locating pins 12 carried by the frame 1. While it is usually preferable to have the emulsion surface of the film uppermost because this is the surface which can be most readily damagedl when Wet, if the film is dry it is not important.

The film having been located by the pins 12 of the frame l, the frame'member 9 may then be swung about the hinge pintles 8 into an operative position in which the latch 19-20 will snap into place and the film will be firmly held in position.

t should be noted that the edge of the film F lies over a flange 28 which surrounds the opening 10 in the frame 1, but since only the edges of the film are so held the exposure area of the film is not damaged. The lm is held by the light pressure exerted on the smooth, round, resilient gasket member 25. This gasket, as

appears from Fig. 2, presses only on a very smallA area on the edges of the film F. Consequently,

Aif the film is a damp or wet film, the emulsion surface is always placed in position to be con- .tacted by the rubber gasket. The pressure exerted by the gasket is so light and the gasket is smooth and has such small contact with the delicate film surface that it does not damage the film.

While, of course, this film holder. is perfectly suitable for a dry film or a photographic plate,

A it is designed especially so as not to mar the delicate damp surfaces of a recently developed film. It is, therefore, particularlyadapted for newspaper work and for other photographers who must produce a print from a film before they have time to dry it.

I havefound that prints can be made from a film taken from the wash water and then the film can be removed from Ythe holder and dried without leaving on the finished film any evidence of such use. In other words, a film can be used without mari-ing the surface in any way by using the holder above described.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device for holding wet films in position for printing, the combination with a frame for supporting the edges `of one side of a film, a second frame hingedly attached to the first frame, the two frames having registering openings, stops on the frames for limiting their relative movement toward each other, a smooth, resilient film contacting memberA on one frame including a rounded surface for engaging the film whereby a wet fllm may be held between the twoframes without marring the lm surface, said stops being so positioned that they limit the pressure which may be applied to the rounded surface for engaging the film when the two frames are brought into contact. y

2. In a device for holding wet films in position for printing, the combination with a frame, a second frame hingedly attached to the first frame, the two frames having registering openings, a smooth flange surrounding the 'opening of one frame and adapted to support the edges.

of a film, a smooth, resilient film contacting member carried about the opening on the other frame and adapted to hold a film against the smooth iiange of the first-mentioned flange, and a latch arranged between the two frames adapted to hold the frames together, the latch and hinge being positioned to vlimit Vthe pressure on the resilient film contacting member when said frames are latched together.

3. In a. device for holding wet films in position for projection printing, the combination with a frame -having an opening in the center, of means carried by said frame for positioning the edges of a lm relative to said opening, a second frame movably mounted onV the first vframe and movable to and from an operative position with respect thereto, cooperating parts on the two frame members forming limiting stops and a film enf gaging member surrounding the opening in said second frame member comprising a softrubber gasket, said rubber gasket including a rounded film contacting surface adapted to engage a negligible area ofthe film when the frames are 'moved together until the stops contact, said gasket surrounding said frame opening to engage a film edge positioned by the first-mentioned frame when said second frame is in an operative position with respect to said firstmentioned frame.

ROGER P. LEAVI'IT. 

